Real ID - The Real ID Act of 2005

Real ID - The Real ID Act of 2005 - Update 8-23-07

The Real ID Act of 2005 was passed by the Congress with virtually no debate or discussion. Instead it was attached to a spending bill. President Bush enthusiastically signed it into law despite the fact that the whole project amounts to an unfunded mandate for the simple reason no federal funding was provided.

Under the Real ID act strict new document requirements would be applied to the issuance of a new federally-approved drivers license. Individuals would be required to provide verifiable birth certificates and proof of an active social security account.

As part of the application process states would be required to verify all ID documents provided, and then store images of them in huge databases which could be easily searched by government officials at every level.

Imagine the staggering financial cost of creating such a system and the privacy vulnerabilities such a system would expose your personal information to. Can you see why the Real ID act has triggered a tidal wave of opposition from such diverse groups as the Heritage Foundation and the ACLU?

After 2011 anyone without a Real ID compliant federally-approved drivers license would not be able to open a banking account, travel on a domestic flight, enter a federal building or national park or receive any kind of federal benefit - including social security.

17 states have passed resolutions calling for the repeal of the Real ID act and another 22 are considering such measures. On several occasions funding provisions have been attempted but were shot down at the last minute. Some 600 private groups have voiced opposition to Real ID.

On June 25, 2007 a group of 85 Representatives and 30 Senators voted to urge the administration to repeal the Real ID act and replace it with a less invasive system that includes more realistic privacy protections.

Ask yourself these questions: What exactly would happen to you if someone stole the biometric information on your Real ID card and used it illegally? How could you clear your name? What would keep hackers from hacking into the federal databases and stealing images of your passport and social security cards? How could you protect yourself?

How will your state verify your citizenship when you apply? How will they verify your birth certificate with vital records offices that still maintain their records on paper in massive files? How much will the application process cost? How long will it take?

Clearly we need to take steps to make our drivers licenses more secure but the Real ID Act of 2005 goes too far. The technology it mandates is largely untested and insecure. I would urge any freedom-loving American to write their legislator and ask them to repeal the Real ID Act and come at the ID issue from a more measured perspective.

If the Real ID Act were to be fully implemented, creating a new identity would become more difficult. Not impossible, but more difficult. As I've already said the states have no reliable way to verify birth certificates online nor can they reliably establish the validity of any other form of ID.

If you're interested in creating a new identity for yourself - now is the time. Even if the Real ID Act isn't fully implemented, new restrictions of the issuance of ID documents are clearly in the offing. Get your new identity documents now - while there's still time!

Back